Mine ear forewent mine eye in loving him; ✿ For ear shall love before the eye at times.
“So praised be Allah who hath shown thy face! But, by the Almighty, had it been other than thou, I had crucified the keeper of the garden and the porter of the Khan and the tailor and him who had recourse to them!” And presently she added, “But how shall I contrive for somewhat thou mayst eat, without the knowledge of my women?” Quoth I, “With me is somewhat we may eat and drink;” and I opened the bag before her. She took a fowl and began to morsel me and I to morsel her; which when I saw, it seemed to me that this was a dream. Then I brought out wine and we drank, what while the damsels sang on; nor did they leave to do thus from morn to noon, when she rose and said, “Go now and get thee a boat and await me in such a place, till I come to thee: for I have no patience left to brook severance.” I replied, “O my lady, I have with me a ship of my own, whose crew are in my hire, and they await me.” Rejoined she, “This is as we would have it,” and returning to her women,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,