‘O young man, wait here a moment for me. I am going to return.’

He waited nearly an hour, and began to grow impatient, but she reappeared with a girl bearing a bundle. Inside it was a veil and a woman’s outer garment, with which the old woman clothed Couloufe, saying to him:

‘My lord, we are honourable people and of good family. It would not be seemly to receive a stranger in our house.’

‘My good mother,’ he replied, ‘you have only to command. I will do all that you wish.’

He put on the outer garment and placed the veil on his head. Then he accompanied the old woman, who led him into a quarter unknown to him. They entered a large mansion, or rather a palace, for everything that presented itself to view had an air of grandeur and magnificence.

After having traversed a vast court paved with jasper, they reached a saloon of prodigious extent, in the midst of which there was a porphyry basin filled with water, where several small ducks were disporting themselves, and all around were gilt cages in which were a thousand birds of different species who made the air resound with their song.

Whilst Couloufe was regarding attentively these birds and all the other things which contributed to make this the most diverting room in the world, a young woman entered who approached the young man with a laughing air. She made him a profound reverence, and after he had saluted her, she took his hand and begged him to seat himself on the cushions of gold brocade placed on sofas of the same stuff.

As soon as he was seated, she herself took the trouble to wipe his face and eyes with a hand­kerchief of the finest linen. Whilst rendering him this agreeable service, she smiled and cast glances at him which soon drove him beside himself. He found her to his liking, and was about to make up his mind to purchase her, when another maiden appeared, whose fair hair floated in curls upon her uncovered shoulders, and who was much more beautiful than the first. She advanced gracefully towards the son of Abdallah, took his hands, kissed them, and was about to lave his feet in a golden basin; but he would not allow it, and struck by her beauty, he rose to throw himself at her knees, resolved to devote himself to this one. But he remained suddenly motionless and like a man who has lost the use of his senses, for he per­ceived twenty young girls, all more charming the one than the other.

They accompanied a young person still more beautiful and more richly dressed than they, and who seemed to be their mistress. Couloufe seemed to see the moon surrounded by stars, and at the sight of this ravishing vision he fainted.

All the slaves ran immediately to his succour, and having brought him round from his swoon, the lady who had caused it addressed him thus:

‘Be welcome,’ she said, ‘poor bird caught by the legs.’

Couloufe kissed the earth, and uttered a deep sigh.

They seated him on a sofa. A cooling drink was brought in a golden cup enriched with jewels. The lady drank of it, and presented the rest to the young man. Then she seated herself near him and remarking that he was so agitated that he could not utter a word; ‘Whence arises the trouble which agitates you?’ she said to him. ‘Banish this sombre sadness which appears in your eyes. Doubtless you are already wearied with us; our company displeases you——’

‘Ah! beautiful lady,’ he replied, looking at her tenderly; ‘cease, I pray you, cease to insult me. You know too well that one cannot see your charms with impunity. I am, I admit, beside myself; an inconceivable trouble agitates me——’

‘Be cheered,’ interrupted the lady, ‘and remember that you come here to buy a slave. Let us all sit down to table; I hope that we shall be able to divert you.’

Thus saying, she took Couloufe by the hand, and conducted him into a hall where they seated themselves with all the other ladies at a long table covered with baskets of sandal wood filled with sweetmeats and dried preserves; Omani pre­serves, Shami apples, Osmani quinces, Sultani oranges, and other things beside. After having eaten, they rose. A basin was brought to them, and a golden ewer. The ladies washed their hands in willow-flower water with cakes of almonds, with Bagdad soap, and powder of aloes; then, having dried their hands with rose-coloured silk handker­chiefs, they went to the wine-chamber. It was an agreeable retreat, decorated by several pots of roses and other sweet-smelling flowers, which bordered a marble basin full of delicious water. This basin served to keep the wine cool, and contributed, by mingling its freshness with the odour of the flowers, to make this retreat delicious. All the ladies made Couloufe drink, and drank also themselves; so that the company returned to the first room rather elated.

There, some of these ladies began to dance, and the others to play the harp, the guitar of David called kanoon, the kemangeh viola, and the náy flute. But with all the delicacy with which they played these instruments, they did not approach the lady with whom the son of Abdallah was enchanted. This incomparable person, wish­ing to show in her turn what she could do, took a lute and, having tuned it, she played in an enchanting fashion. Then, having had a harp brought, she played in the first manner; then they brought her a viola, this she played in the second manner; after that she took a sweet flute, and played in the third manner. In a word, she used the twelve methods one after the other, and the twenty-four branches of music.

She also sang, and her voice gave no less pleasure to the amorous Couloufe than the manner in which she had played the instrument.

He was so charmed by it that, being unable any longer to restrain himself, ‘My queen,’ he cried, ‘you have deprived me of reason. I cannot resist the transports that you have inspired in me. Permit me to kiss one of your beautiful hands and to lay my head at your feet.’

Thus saying, this impassioned lover threw himself to the ground like a madman, and seizing one of the lady’s hands, he kissed it very warmly.

But the fair lady, pained at his boldness, repulsed him proudly and said to him: ‘Whoever you may be, pause and do not overstep the limits of modesty; I am a maiden of quality. It is useless for you to desire my love; you will not gain it; you will see me no more.’

At these words she retired, and all the other ladies at her example did the same.

The son of Abdallah, in despair at having acted so disagreeably towards the woman he loved, remained in the hall agitated by a thousand differ­ent thoughts.

The old woman who had brought him thither came to him.

‘What have you done, young man?’ she said to him. ‘Why have you let yourself be carried away by your passion? Although I had made you aware that I have here slaves of every nation, you ought to have judged by the magnificence of this mansion and the manner in which you have been received here, that you were not at a slave-merchant’s. The lady whom you have offended is the daughter of one of the first people of the court. You ought to have been more respectful.’

The speech of the old woman augmented the love of Couloufe and the regret which he experi­enced at having by an indiscreet outburst obliged the lady to retire.

He was quite mortified by it and despaired of seeing her again. Suddenly she returned to the room with the other ladies, all adorned with other and fairer garments. She began to laugh when she saw the son of Abdallah sad and dreamy.

‘I believe,’ she said, ‘that you repent of your fault, and I willingly pardon you on condition that you will be better behaved for the future, and tell me who you are.’

As he asked nothing better than to reconcile himself with this charming person, he told her with alacrity that his name was Couloufe, and that he was the king’s favourite.

‘My lord,’ she then said, ‘I have long known you by reputation and heard you very advantageously spoken of. I have even sometimes wished to see you. I am delighted to have this satis­faction to-day. Continue our dancing, and our music,’ she continued, turning towards the other women; ‘let us make every effort to divert our guest.’

All the ladies recommenced to dance and to play instruments, and this entertainment lasted till night time.

As soon as night came on a prodigious quantity of candles were lit, and whilst waiting for supper the young dame and the son of Abdallah had much speech together. She asked him news of the King Mirgehan; whether this prince had beautiful people in his seraglio?

‘Yes, madam,’ said Couloufe; ‘he has some rather beautiful slaves. He loves at present one named Ghulendam. She is young, well-made, and I should have said she was the most beautiful girl in the world if I had not seen you; but your charms surpass hers, and she is not worthy to be compared to you.’

These flattering words did not displease Dilara or Heart’s Repose, as the young lady was called. She was the daughter of Boyruc, a great Tartar lord, who was not then at Caracoram. Mirgehan had sent him to Samarcand to congratulate Usbec-Kan on his behalf on his accession to the throne. Dilara during the absence of her father sometimes took pleasure in attracting young men to her house merely for her amusement; for as soon as they wished to express love for her, she well knew how to repress their transports.