chiding which to trace would be tedious，relating each to other that which had befallen them and reciting verses and making moan；one to other，of the violence of passion and the pangs of pine and desire，whilst the tears ran down their cheeks like rivers；till there was left them no strength to say a word and so they continued till day deprated and night darkened.Now the Princess was clad in a green dress，purfled with red gold and broidered with pearls and gems which enhanced her beauty and loveliness and inner grace；and right well quoth the poet of her，[523]
'Like the full moon she shineth in garments all of green，With loosened vest and collars and flowing hair beseen.
'What is thy name？' I asked her，and she replied，'I'm she Who roasts the hearts of lovers on coals of love and teen.
I am the pure white silver，ay，and the gold wherewith The bondsmen from strait prison and dour released been.'
Quoth I，'I'm all with rigours consumed；' but'On a rock，' Said she，'such as my heart is，thy plaints are wasted clean.'
'Even if thy heart，' I answered，'be rock in very deed，Yet hath God caused fair water well from the rock，I ween.'
And when night darkened on them the Lady Miriam went up to her women and asked them，'Have ye locked the door？'；and they answered，'Indeed we have locked it.'So she took them and went with them to a place called the hapel of the Lady Mary the Virgin，Mother of Light，because the Nazarenes hold that there are her heart and soul.The girls betook themselves to prayer for blessings from above and circuited all the church；and when they had made an end of their visitation，the Princess turned to them and said，'I desire to pass the night alone in the Virgin's chapel and seek a blessing thereof，for that yearning after it hath betided me，by reason of my long absence in the land of the Moslems；and as for you，when ye have made an end of your visitation，do ye sleep whereso ye will.'Replied they，'With love and goodly gree： be it as thou wilt！'；and leaving her alone in the chapel，dispersed about the church and slept.The Lady Miriam waited till they were out of sight and hearing，then went in search of Nur al-Din，whom she found sitting in a corner on live coals，awaiting her.He rose and kissed her hands and feet and she sat down and seated him by her side.Then she pulled off all that was upon her of raiment and ornaments and fine linen and taking Nur al-Din in her arms strained him to her bosom.And they ceased not，she and he，from kissing and clipping and strumming to the tune of'hocus-pocus，'[524] saying the while，'How short are the nights of Union and the nights of Disunion how long are they！'and reciting these verses；'O Night of Union，Time's virginal prized，* White star of the Nights with auroral dyes；Thou garrest Dawn after Noon to rise * Say art thou Kohl in Morning's Eyes；Or wast thou Slumber to bleared eye lief？
O Night of Parting，how long thy stay * Whose latest hours aye the first portray；This endless circle that noways may * Show breach till the coming of Judgment-day；Day when dies the lover of parting-grief.'[525]
As they were in this mighty delight and joy engrossing they heard one of the servants of the Saint[526] smite the gong[527]
upon the roof，to call the folk to the rites of their worship；and he was even as saith the poet；'I saw him strike the gong and asked of him straightway，* Who made the Fawn[528] at striking going so knowing，eh？'
And to my soul，'What smiting irketh thee the more-- * Striking the gong or striking note of going，[529] say？'
--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Eighty-third Night； She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Nur al-Din and Miriam the Girdle-girl rose forthwith and donned her clothes and ornaments；but this was grievous to Nur al-Din，and his gladness was troubled；the tears streamed from his eyes and he recited these couplets；'I ceased not to kiss that cheek with budding roses dight * And eyes down cast and bit the same with most emphatic bite；
Until we were in gloria[530] and lay him down the spy * And sank his eyes within his brain declining further sight：
And struck the gongs as they that had the charge of them were like * Muezzin crying duty-prayers in Allah's book indite.
Then rose she up right hastily and donned the dress she'd doffed * Sore fearing lest a shooting-star[531] upon our heads alight.
And cried，'O wish and will of me，O end of all my hopes！ *
Behold the morning comes to us in brightest whitest light.'
I swear if but one day of rule were given to my life * And I were made an Emperor of majesty and might；Adown I'd break the buttresses of churches one and all * And by their slaughter rid the earth of every shaveling wight.'
Then the Lady Miriam pressed him to her bosom and kissed his cheek and asked him，'O Nur al-Din，how long hast thou been in this town？'Seven days.'Hast thou walked about in it，and dost thou know its ways and issues and its sea-gates and land gates？'
'Yes！'Knowest thou the way to the offertory-chest[532] of the church？'Yes！'Since thou knowest all this，as soon as the first third[533] of the coming night is over，go to the offertory-chest and take thence what thou wishest and willest.
Then open the door that giveth upon the tunnel[534] leading to the sea，and go down to the harbour，where thou wilt find a little ship and ten men therein，and when the Rais shall see thee，he will put out his hand to thee.
