So they set on flagons of divers kinds of wine and burned perfumes in all the censers，what while a damsel like the moon rose and served us with wine，to the sound of the smitten strings. We sat and drank，the lady and I，till we were warm with wine，whilst I doubted not but that all this was an illusion of sleep. Presently，she signed to one of the damsels to spread us a bed in such a place，which being done，she took me by the hand and led me thither. So I lay with her till the morning，and as often as I pressed her in my arms，I smelt the delicious fragrance of musk and other perfumes that exhaled from her and could think no otherwise but that I was in Paradise or in the mazes of a dream. When it was day，she asked me where I lodged and I told her，'In such a place；' whereupon she gave me a handkerchief gold and silver wrought，with somewhat tied in it，and bade me depart，saying，'Go to the bath with this.' So I rejoiced and said to myself，'If there be but five farthings here，it will buy me the morning meal.' Then I left her，as I were leaving Paradise，and returned to my lodging，where I opened the handkerchief and found in it fifty dinars of gold. I buried them in the ground and buying two farthings worth of bread and meat，sat down at the door and breakfasted；after which I sat pondering my case till the time of afternoon-prayer，when a slave-girl accosted me，saying，'My mistress calls for thee.' So I followed her to the house aforesaid and she carried me in to the lady，before whom I kissed the earth，and she bade me sit and called for meat and wine as on the previous day；after which I again lay with her all night. On the morrow，she gave me a second handkerchief，with other fifty dinars therein，and I took it and going home，buried this also.
Thus did I eight days running，going in to her at the hour of afternoon-prayer and leaving her at daybreak；but，on the eighth night，as I lay with her，one of her maids came running in and said to me，'Arise，go up into yonder closet.' So I rose and went into the closet，which was over the gate and had a window giving upon the street in front of the house. Presently，I heard a great clamour and tramp of horse，and looking out of the window，saw a young man，as he were the rising moon on the night of her full，come riding up，attended by a number of servants and soldiers. He alighted at the door and entering，found the lady seated on the couch in the saloon. So he kissed the earth before her，then came up to her and kissed her hands；but she would not speak to him.
However，he ceased not to soothe her and speak her fair，till he made his peace with her，and they lay together that night. Next morning，the soldiers came for him and he mounted and rode away；
whereupon she came in to me and said，'Sawst thou yonder man？'
'Yes，'answered I；and she said，'He is my husband，and I will tell thee what befell me with him.
'It chanced one day that we were sitting，he and I，in the garden within the house，when he rose from my side and was absent a long while，till I grew tired of waiting and said to myself，Most like，he is in the wardrobe.' So I went thither，but not finding him there，went down to the kitchen，where I saw a slave-girl，of whom I enquired for him，and she showed him to me lying with one of the cook-maids. When I saw this，I swore a great oath that I would do adultery with the foulest and filthiest man in Baghdad；
and the day the eunuch laid hands on thee，I had been four days going round about the town in quest of one who should answer this deion，but found none fouler nor more filthy than thee. So I took thee and there passed between us that which God fore-ordained to us；and now I am quit of my oath. But，'added she，'if my husband return yet again to the cook-maid and lie with her，I will restore thee to thy late place in my favours.'
When （continued the scavenger） I heard these words from her lips，what while she transfixed my heart with the arrows of her glances，my tears streamed forth，till my eyelids were sore with weeping，and I repeated the saying of the poet：
Vouchsafe me the kiss of thy left hand，I prithee，And know that its worthier far than thy right；
For tis but a little while since it was washing Sir reverence away from the stead of delight.
Then she gave me other fifty dinars （making in all four hundred dinars I had of her） and bade me depart. So I went out from her and came hither，that I might pray God （blessed and exalted be He！） to make her husband return to the cook-maid，so haply I might be again admitted to her favours.' When the governor of the pilgrims heard the mans story，he set him free and said to the bystanders，God on you，pray for him，for indeed he is excusable.'
