I doffed my clothes, and she doffed hers, then we
bathed and she washed me. And when this was done we left the bath, and
she seated me by her side upon a high divan, and brought me sherbet
scented with musk. When we felt cool after the bath, she set food
before me and we ate and fell to talking, but presently she said to
me, "Lay thee down and take thy rest, for surely thou must be
weary." So I thanked her, my lady, and lay down and slept soundly,
forgetting all that happened to me. When I awoke I found her subbing
and shampooing my feet, so I again thanked her and blessed her and
we sat for a while talking. Said she, "By Allah, I was sad at heart,
for that I have dwelt alone underground for these five-and-twenty
years, and praise be to Allah Who hath sent me someone with whom I can
converse!" Then she asked, "O youth, what sayest thou to wine?" and
I answered, "Do as thou wilt." Whereupon she went to a cupboard and
took out a sealed flask of right old wine and set off the table with
flowers and scented herbs and began to sing these lines:
"Had we known of thy coming we fain had dispread
The cores of our hearts or the balls of our eyes,
Our cheeks as a carpet to greet thee had thrown,
And our eyelids had strown for thy feet to betread.
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